At least one person was killed and seven injured in an explosion that destroyed a municipality building and a scout centre for the Amal Movement near Sidon in southern Lebanon.
The blast, the cause of which is so far unknown, struck the town of Banaafoul in the early hours of Tuesday.
Ali Al Riz, the son of the town's mayor Tawfiq Al Riz, was killed in the explosion, the Shiite political party confirmed. His funeral will take place at 3pm local time on Tuesday, it said on Twitter.
The explosion also damaged nearby buildings, including the town hall, as well as cars. The military has sealed off the area and continues to search through the rubble for victims.
Witness Mira Wehbeh, who lives downhill from the explosion site, said Tuesday's events were reminiscent of the Beirut port blast which she also experienced last year.
“It was so loud. It took our memories back to August 4 — the same terrible thing,” she told The National.
“I thought the windows and doors of my house would explode.”
Ms Wehbeh said when she heard the explosion, she initially thought Lebanon was under attack.
“You know these thoughts cause fear and anxiety among the Lebanese people,” she said.
“The building is completely demolished.” She said more than 20 emergency vehicles arrived at the scene two minutes after the explosion.
A security source told Reuters the explosion was not an act of sabotage, without elaborating.
On December 10, a large blast rocked a Palestinian camp in the southern Lebanese port city of Tyre, injuring about 12 people, according to rescue workers at the scene and a Palestinian source inside the camp.
The state-run National News Agency reported that the blast occurred at a Hamas weapons depot in the Burj Al Shemali camp and a judge ordered security forces to launch an investigation.
BIGGEST CYBER SECURITY INCIDENTS IN RECENT TIMES
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Log4j breach: December 2021; attackers exploited the Java-written code to inflitrate businesses and governments
Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?
The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.
A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.
Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.
The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.
When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.
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Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
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“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
The five new places of worship
Church of South Indian Parish
St Andrew's Church Mussaffah branch
St Andrew's Church Al Ain branch
St John's Baptist Church, Ruwais
Church of the Virgin Mary and St Paul the Apostle, Ruwais
The years Ramadan fell in May
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
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Sector: Sales, Technology, Conservation
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UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
